4th-time champs

Christina Garza

Issue date: 11/12/07 Section: News

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Media Credit: Chris Vivero

Kendra Braswell (4) leaps into the air for a spike against Richland College, en route to victory and the fourth MAC championship.

Media Credit: Chris Vivero

The Brookhaven College Lady Bears volleyball team towered over the competition while defending their Metro Athletic Conference Championship Nov. 3. Now ranked third in Division III, the Lady Bears are on their way to nationals for the fourth year in a row. The Lady Bears are 2004 and 2005 national champions and 2006 semifinalists.

The Lady Bears played two rounds of finals, with the first round winners of each game playing against each other for the MAC championship. The Lady Bears beat the Eastfield College Lady Harvesters 30-11, 30-18 and 30-21.

The final game was against the Richland College Lady Thunderducks, with the games ending in 30-18, 30-10 and 30-15. By beating Richland, the Lady Bears won their fourth straight MAC championship.

The top performers for Brookhaven were: Danielle Sneed with 477 kills and 204 attacks, Kristen Maureau with 106 aces and 73 blocks, Katie Jager, team captain, with 1,168 assists and Kasey Haywood with 331 digs.

"The ladies played hard this season," head coach Jason Hopkins said. "Although there was lack of competition on the conference level, I know the ladies still learned and benefited."

Hopkins said the ladies worked really well together. He said they had six returning sophomores and four freshmen with a will to win, which gave them an advantage. He said they have such a passion for the game and they are on a warpath to nationals.

"I'm excited about nationals, even more than I was last year," Whitney Caraway, science sophomore, said. "We are coming back with a ring; I know if we continue to work as hard and play as hard as we can that will not be an issue."

National championships will be held in Rochester, Minn., Nov. 16 and 17.

They leave Nov. 13 at 10:15 a.m. from in front of S Building; there will be a pep rally for them before they leave.

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